Woman says this 5-minute bloating massage technique helped her belly go flat: Doctor reveals if it actually works

Could a 5-minute massage technique help reduce bloating by stimulating bowel movements and increasing intestinal motility? Dr Karan Rajan reveals.

Digestive issues are among the most common concerns people face today, and it could also lead to bloating. Eating fibre-rich food, staying hydrated and checking what you are eating are some steps you can take to debloat your tummy. But did you know there's a 5-minute massage that can help you, too?

In a video shared on Instagram on April 15, Dr Karan Rajan, NHS Surgeon, educator, and health content creator, talked about whether massaging actually helps in bringing down the bloating in our tummy.

A quick 5-minute bloating hack

The video begins with a woman talking about a lymphatic drainage massage that helped her reduce bloating in five minutes. She suggests doing the massage while lying down. Take a tiny dollop of coconut oil and then massage to open up your lymph nodes (located between your hip bones) by pressing them lightly 20 times. She suggested doing the routine in rainbow motion and downward sliding motion - both 20 times - to get the toxins moving through the intestines and to move water in your lymph nodes.

She adds, “This deep bloat routine takes you from this to that (showing her transformation from a bloated to flat tummy) in less than five minutes, and it's solely a massage technique…I've sworn by it.”

What happens when you do the massage?

Explaining what happens when you use the massage technique, Dr Karan said, “If you suffer from bloating and gas, this massage might give your bowels a happy ending. If you begin your massage in the lower right-hand corner of your abdomen, near the inside of your hip bone, this corresponds to the beginning of your ascending colon. While maintaining firm pressure, massage up the right-hand side of your abdomen, tracing along the path of the large intestine.”

He suggested doing this massage in the morning when your bowels are naturally more active. Additionally, always make sure to go from right to left or clockwise. “This can be a medication-free way to help with bloating symptoms because it not only helps to manually move your bowel motions along, like squeezing the last bit of toothpaste out of a tube, but it also mimics peristalsis—that's the wave-like contractions of your intestines,” he stated.

Lastly, Dr Karan explained that the massage will lead to increased intestinal motility, which equals better passing of gas and bowel movements, and less bloating. “This is not a quick fix, but it can be a useful, low-risk adjunct to other strategies like hydrating more, exercising more, and eating more fibre,” the doctor added.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.